John Gill Commentary Mark 10:40

"but to sit on my right hand or on [my] left hand is not mine to give; but [it is for them] for whom it hath been prepared." — Mark 10:40 (ASV)

But to sit on my right hand and on my left, is mine to
give
There being no such places in his kingdom in the sense they petitioned; and as for the glories of the heavenly state or eternal life, the gift of these was not to be settled now it being done already: and though he had a power to give yet only to them who were given him of his Father and who were ordained to such happiness as it follows:

but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared ;
that is, of his Father as is expressed in (Matthew 20:23) which is not to be understood as excluding these two persons but as including all others with them for whom the kingdom was prepared before the foundation of the world: the Ethiopic version therefore wrongly renders the words "but to sit on my right hand and on my left, I do not give to you, it is prepared for other": the Jew ^F7 very badly concludes from hence against the deity of Christ and his unity with the Father, arguing that he did not have power to do this; whereas Christ does not say he had no power to give this honour, but only describes the persons to whom he should give it; and these being persons for whom it, is prepared by his Father instead of destroying, proves their unity.

---

FOOTNOTES:

• F7: R. Isaac, Chizzuk Emuna, par. 2. c. 20. p. 409.